Have a healthy New Year: Shape up in 2014 with our step-by-step planner

MAKE 2014 your time to shape up for good – it couldn’t be easier with our full mind and body checklist

Get into your best shape with our easy-to-follow guide for the New Year [GETTY]

EVERY DAY

* Eat a variety of seasonal fruit and veg: Research shows that 15,000 early deaths from heart disease, cancer and strokes could be prevented every year by eating our five-a-day – yet only 20 per cent of us hit the recommended target.

* Walk! A new study found that walking just 20 minutes a day could save 37,000 lives a year. It can help you beat up to 24 illnesses, according to an examination of some 40 studies. In fact, researchers reporting in the International Journal of Clinical Practice ranked its benefits as equal to not smoking.

* Substitute seaweed granules for salt: Their sodium content is just 3.5 per cent compared with almost 40 per cent in regular salt – and it’s almost impossible to tell the difference in cooked foods, according to a study by the Government-funded Food Innovation Project. (Try Seagreen Organic Seaweed Granules, £15.40 for 200g from realfoods.co.uk.)

* Switch from white to brown: Wholegrains are better for digestive health, cholesterol, reducing tummy fat and a recent study from the University of Aberdeen showed that three daily portions of wholegrains could lower blood pressure as effectively as some medications.

* Do the crossword: Performing mental exercises – puzzles, playing cards, even board games – could help delay memory loss associated with dementia, according to researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

* Stretch your body: Back pain is the second most common reason for time off work in the UK. Yet simply stretching for 15-30 seconds every day can make all the difference. “You need to move in six directions to stretch and strengthen your back,” says leading osteopath Garry Trainer.

“That’s flexing forwards and backwards; rotating to the right and left and moving sideways right and left – and all can be done sitting, lying and standing.”

* Declutter your mind: Make a to-do list and get the “one big thing” done first. Turn your email alerts off and allocate certain times of the day to check your inbox. Finally, don’t watch television for the sake of it, says Professor Mark Williams, co-author of Mindfulness (£12.99, expressbooks.co.uk).

Watch the programme you want to see and then switch off your television and do something more interesting instead.

* Make Friday (oily) fish night: Increasing your omega-3 intake can add five years to your lifespan by helping to prevent coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and signs of ageing, says Dr Trisha Macnair, author of The Long Life Equation (Adams Media, £5.99).

Aim to have two portions of oily fish such as mackerel, salmon or sardines every week. Don’t like fish? Drizzle flaxseed oil over salads (don’t heat it) or grind flaxseeds to release the oils and sprinkle on soups, cereals and salads.

* Have an early night: Rather than relying on a weekend lie-in to catch up on sleep, says Sammy Margo of thegoodsleepexpert.com. “Staying up late with the lights on keeps our stress hormone cortisol high when it should be reducing and suppresses our sleep hormone melatonin when it should be rising.

This impacts on our ability to deal with stress, lose weight, repair our tissues, feel rested and be ready for the new day. So, try to get to sleep in a very dark room by 10pm.”

Get on your bike: Cycling is a great all-round form of exercise, benefiting the joints, cardiovascular system and immune system and helping fight back pain. In fact, regular cyclists enjoy fitness levels of people 10 years younger. Visit whycycle.co.uk for more information.

* Play Barry White: Regular sex has long been known to improve self-esteem and combat stress, and the hormone oxytocin, released during orgasm, works wonders against insomnia. In fact, studies have shown it can soothe everything from PMS to lower back pain.

And having sex once or twice a week also increases levels of natural antibodies that protect against colds and flu.

Get your blood pressure checked [GETTY/ALAMY]

EVERY MONTH

* Keep a check on your weight: The majority of British women now have “apple-shaped” bodies, according to a report by Nuffield Health. And this increases the risk of heart disease and several cancers (being overweight is the biggest avoidable cause of cancer after tobacco, says the World Health Organisation).

To stop weight creeping up, try on a size 14 on the same date every month: if a 31-inch skirt or pair of trousers doesn’t do up, take action because your risk of diabetes and heart disease is shooting up. And, if you’re over a size 14, consider trying the 5:2 fasting diet. Research suggests you’ll not only lose unwanted pounds but dramatically improve your health.

* Have a good clear-out: Ditch your toothbrush if you’ve had a cold or other illness; replace old make-up which can lead to eye infections and take expired medicines to the pharmacist. Finally, weigh your handbag: anything over 3lb puts pressure on your back.

* Check your breasts: A recent Avon report found that one third of women rarely or never examine their breasts – yet 80 per cent of breast cancers are found by women themselves. The most important thing is knowing what is normal for you, looking at and feeling your breasts for any changes, and seeing your GP without delay if you notice anything different.

* The best medicine: “Numerous studies show laughter has physiological, psychological, spiritual, and quality-of-life benefits,” says Dr Penelope Ward, a family GP who specialises in child health. “The American College of Cardiology recently showed that it lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and boosts the immune system.”